1st April 2026

When Adam and Eve chose to go their own way, apart from God, and were expelled from the Garden of Eden, Cherubim and a flaming sword were put at the entrance to guard the way back to the tree of life. There would be no more evening walks with God through the beauty of the Garden. From then on, God, with some notable exceptions, related to mankind at a distance. 

When God brought the descendants of Abraham out of Egypt and made a formal covenant with them, the design of the Tabernacle gave a visual illustration of this separation. The Holy of Holies, where only the High Priest was allowed, was protected by a curtain from the main body of the Tabernacle. The curtain was embroidered with cherubim, representing the cherubim guarding mankind away from the presence of God in the Garden.

In the Second Temple, in Jesus’ day, the decorative curtain guarding the way into the Holy of Holies was said to be four inches thick. Year after year, once a year, the High Priest entered through the curtain with sacrifices, looking for forgiveness and atonement to cover the nation for another year. 

In the last hours of Jesus’ life, as he hung on the cross, darkness fell, and at the moment he died an earthquake rocked Jerusalem. The massive curtain was ripped apart from top to bottom. The cherubim, if we can put it this way, went back to their barracks, taking the flaming sword with them. They were no longer needed on guard duty. The tearing of the veil when Jesus died showed us the removal of the barrier between God and humanity. As the book of Hebrews tells us, we are free to enter into his presence by a new and living way opened for us – through the curtain of Jesus’ body (Hebrews 10:19-20).

The ripping of the temple curtain hadn’t been the only thing to be ripped up that day. Only a few hours earlier Jesus had stood in front of the Sanhedrin being tried for his life. The High Priest, frustrated at not being able to find a way to condemn him, finally asked him on oath if he was the Christ. At Jesus’ reply, he tore his garments as a sign of his extreme indignation and pronounced that they needed no more witnesses, as this ‘blasphemy’ warranted his death. This man ripped up his expensive robes, but in fact, he didn’t need them any more anyway. His role as High Priest was about to finish. We have a new High Priest, an ever-living High Priest. Through him, and in him, we have access to God. Hallelujah!

Local congregation:
Grace Communion in Lewes
The House of Friendship
208 High Street
Lewes
BN7 2NS

Meeting time:
Sunday 11:00 am 

Local congregational contact:
Hilary Buck
Email:  lewes@gracecom.church
Like us on www.facebook.com/Grace Communion Lewes 

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church